Pupils and authors unite to celebrate reading on World Book Day

From taking part in library and bookshop events to dressing up, thousands of children celebrated the joy of reading on World Book Day on Friday (March 7).

Around 750,000 youngsters across the world got the opportunity to see a host of authors talking about their books. The hour-long Biggest Book Show on Earth took place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London and was broadcast live to cinemas around the UK, as well as streamed live online.

Many children, including 200 pupils at John Cabot Academy in Bristol, jumped at the chance to mark World Book Day by dressing up as their favourite literary characters.

The day also saw the release of eight new World Book Day titles, which cost £1 or can be exchanged for the £1 World Book Day book token given out by schools.

Meanwhile a new space has been developed on the World Book Day website for teenage readers, featuring book recommendations, activities and information on YA (young adult) events. A new initiative called The Word Herd has also been launched, encouraging teenagers to share their enthusiasm for reading with their friends, as well as a World Book Day YA app.

Developed in partnership with online teen reading and writing platform Movellas, the app can be downloaded for free in the UK and features everything from comedy, friendship and romance stories to tales of fantasy, horror and espionage. Contributors range from aspiring young authors themselves to writers like Patrick Ness, Will Hill, Chris Ryan and Alex Scarrow.

“The new app and our partnership with Movellas is just one way of getting great book content to young adult readers who have a hunger for new stories from top authors,” said Kirsten Grant, director of World Book Day. “Delivering content digitally and talking to teens in the spaces they like to visit and socialise also allows us to offer a taste of the brilliant fiction that’s out there and hopefully turn more young people on to reading.”